New Veritas Smoother - Chipbreaker Problem?

[Jason Lester]

I got a new Veritas #4 for my birthday today. After honing the blade and going through all the setup, I kept having a problem getting both sides to take even shavings. I tried a bunch of different things and then finally took it back apart and checked everything again. It appears that the edge of the chipbreaker is not ground flat or perpendicular to the sides. If I hold a square up to it, there's a noticeable gap on one corner. When I attach it to the blade, I can either get the edges parallel or the sides parallel, but not both at the same time. If I cock it sideways enough to get the edges parallel, then the chipbreaker is offset away from the opposite corner of the blade.

I guess I need to call Lee Valley, but just wondering if anyone has run into something like that before? I'm relatively new to hand planes, so I checked and double-checked to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was. I checked with multiple squares as well.

Thanks
Jason

[Jim Koepke]

The call to Lee Valley should rectify your problem.

Let us know what happens and how it turns out.

The problem of uneven shaving can also happen with cambered blades. Though with a cambered blade one is trying to get the shaving to disappear at the edges.

jtk

[Jason Lester]

Jim,

The uneven shaving was just a symptom, I think. I tried to get a photo just now, but can't hold everything steady enough. If I put my best PEC square flat along the side of the chipbreaker, there's about 1/16" gap on one side of the edge. Swapping side to side of both the square and chipbreaker show the same thing. The edge is completely flat though, just not perpendicular to the sides. It's like if you are honing a blade and don't have it squared in your jig so one edge is ground back further than the other.

Jason

[Tom Vanzant]

Jason, call the LV customer service folks. I had a problem with a PM-V11 iron set and one phone call had a replacement on its way. Great service.

[Frank Martin]

I bet your call to Lee Valley customer service will make you a lifetime loyal customer. They will make it right and make sure you have a good experience with them and your plane. You may be new to planes now, but when you go down the slippery slope you will have many of the siblings of the plane you now have. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[Jason Lester]

Their customer service was as good as advertised. She was surprised I bought a new bevel-down plane, said they mainly sell the bevel-ups now. She offered to exchange just the chipbreaker, the whole plane, or swap it to a bevel-up. I went with just the chipbreaker for now. I didn't realize it, but she said I could exchange it any time within 90 days, no questions asked. Pretty nice to know.

I tried to get a couple of pics. In this one, my square is completely flat on the sides of the irons (which are flush with each other on both sides) and completely square across the iron edge:

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This is when I flip it over. Again, the sides are completely aligned and the iron is completely square.

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You can see the significant difference from side to side.

[Brian Holcombe]

Other than the out of square issue it looks like a nicely designed chip breaker.

[Simon MacGowen]

Their customer service was as good as advertised. She was surprised I bought a new bevel-down plane, said they mainly sell the bevel-ups now.

At first before seeing your pictures, I thought you bought a new custom Veritas #4. She might have been surprised that you had taken a regular #4 rather than a bevel-down smooth plane OR a custom #4.

Simon

[Jason Lester]

It's interesting that the chipbreaker with their plane is not the same as the aftermarket ones they sell for Stanley's. I have a couple of those and they are much heavier duty than the Stanley originals or the one that came with the new Veritas plane.

This was a birthday present, the new custom models were a little too much. I also got their grinding rest/jig, Mk II honing guide, and one of the white grinding wheels.

I put it back together and if I cock the lateral lever to make up for the difference, it will take pretty decent shavings. Here it is with a couple of older cousins on some scrap cherry. Roughed out with the #5, flattened with the #7, and smoothed with the #4. Bonus shot of my new Roubo that I'm finishing up.

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[Brian Loran]

I wonder how the new LV bevel down planes are selling? I haven't heard anything about them after the initial buzz...

[Reinis Kanders]

I actually have the new and old no 4 and prefer the old one's design. Chipbreaker works better out of the box and handle can be used in the regular three finger grip. New one is a nice plane but I am not a big fan of having to use the hex key for the chipbreaker.

[Christopher Charles]

Nice bench! Ash? Good luck with the new b-day present too :)

C

[Simon MacGowen]

My story is just the opposite. I had the regular #4 but sold it after I tried out the custom 4 1/2 with a 55-degree optional frog, which isn't possible with the old line.

Simon

[Graham Haydon]

I bought the old #4 from a uk supplier when they had a very generous discount (it turned out to be a mistake but they stood by it). I had the same issue, but thankfully the cap iron is a good design and the metal nice and soft. A few swipes with the file and then a finish on the stones and it was done. Even if the looks of the plane are a bit funky it's a good smoother, well made with a well designed cap iron. I'd personally sort the cap iron and keep it.

[Jason Lester]

The saga continues...

I was excited to see the box from Lee Valley when I got home today. I took it out to the shop, opened it, does this look like a cap iron to anyone?

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The bag says Cap Iron, the order form says Cap Iron, but what I got was another lever cap. It was even wrapped up in a paper that said Caution: Sharp. I'm really puzzled that there's someone at a company that makes planes who could get the two confused? I called and they're placing the order again for another cap iron. Starting to wonder if I should have went with LN instead.

[Jim Koepke]

I called and they're placing the order again for another cap iron. Starting to wonder if I should have went with LN instead.

I have worked in stock rooms for various companies. It is rare that the person filling an order in a stock room has any knowledge about the part other than the part number. Some stock room workers do not even think about questioning a part that looks different in a box of parts. "If it is there, it must be the part."

Good help can be a difficult thing to find.

jtk

[Jason Lester]

I'm happy to say the correct replacement finally made it today. I was able to set it very close to the edge of the iron, close up the mouth, and got really thin (.001") shavings on the first pass with it. Much happier now, the plan is working like I was hoping/expecting!

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[Jim Koepke]

Good to hear all came out well.

jtk